Sub regional Workshop on Curbing IFF from Africa Theme: Increasing Advocacy for Commitment, Collaboration and Refo rm Alvin Mosioma: Executive Director, Tax Justice Network-Africa
Introductions: - IFF Agenda is now at the center stage of economic policy discussions at international and regional level: UN through FfD3 and SDG, OECD BEPs process, AU/ECA HLP on IFF - Despite the recognition on the importance of DRM and the need to curb IFF there is a policy discourse gap, between national and regional levels - Tax and related issues still perceived by majority stakeholders to be complicated leading to a low level public participation on policy discussions. Compared to other public governance issues such as corruption, or budgets tax does not evoke as wider public attention and discussion - Long term solutions to tackling IFF will demand a multi strand and multi stakeholder approach and strategies. - Need to increase public awareness and involve a wider cross section of policy actors including: CSOs, Business sectors (especially SME), Legislators, and the Media
Successful Advocacy Objectives : - Seek to bring on board a constituency of various stakeholders and other policy actors including legislators, Media, business ,policy practioners, academia and research institutions - Seek to simplify the IFF message and make it understandable to non experts - Ensure that the achieved regional consensus on the harmful effect of IFF translate to policy reforms at the national level
Issues for Advocacy African countries should coordinate efforts and present regional or larger unified positions when responding to multilateral processes on tax issues. These efforts can be complemented by increasing CSOs space to consistently push for this agenda. Collaboration with other jurisdictions and diplomatic lobbying can be important in tracking and acquiring stolen assets that have been stashed in other countries. Countries such as Switzerland have shown open commitment to furthering cooperation on this matter. If political goodwill on the continent can be stepped up, this can be achieved. Development of clear and concise rules and regulations for multinationals operating in African countries providing comprehensive reports on transfer pricing units; and lobby for alternative transfer pricing methods. African countries to join ATAF to provide the forum with a political standing and credibility in the African regional processes. CSOs to lobby for African Revenue Authorities to join ATAF; and facilitate ATAF's contribution to NEPAD and APRM Countries should establish financial intelligence units and an information sharing platform/ database for easier access of information on perpetrators. African financial intelligence units should share with each other about cases of people and companies being prosecuted for facilitating movement and laundering of the proceeds of these financial crimes. Make the reports on transnational organized financial crimes accessible to the individual African countries to better prosecute the perpetrators and prevent the propagation of such crimes across borders.
Regional Initiatives: TJN-A has been instrumental in supporting four key initiatives as part of efforts to widen the conversation: - African Parliamentary Network on IFF and Tax (APNIFFT) - Africa Media Training and Award Scheme - International Tax Justice Academy - Stop the Bleeding IFF Campaign
APNIFFT: • Seeks to provide a platform for legislators from across Africa to build their capacity, share experience and collaborate in influencing policies and laws relating to IFF and tax . • Three consultative fora held so far (Nairobi/ Lilongwe/ Bamako). Constituting Assembly planned for Kampala next week (21 st September 2015). • Over 40 MPs from across Africa already members
Media Training and (Africa Tax journalist of the year award ): • A collaboration with the University of Cape Town and aims to train and support a network of African journalists reporting on tax and IFF related matters in Africa. • Award seeks to recognize journalists who have excelled in covering tax and exposing IFF issues in Africa • 35 Journalist undergone training so far from all five sub-regions of the continent.
International Tax Justice Academy: • Annual capacity training programme for CSOs, academics and other non-state actors • Week-long that seeks to equip participants with update information and knowledge on taxation and development in Africa • Over 170 organizations /participants from over 35 African countries
• Who is involved: Led by an Interim Working Group which brings together six regional CSOs from across Africa namely: TJN-A, AFRODAD, TWN-Africa, Femnet, Trust Africa and ITUC-Africa
• Goal Mobilize citizens across Africa and galvanize a broad support to demand for measures to tackle IFF including the implementation of HLP report recommendations
Call to Action: iBelieve - IFF DECLARATION I believe in a democratic, prosperous and equitable Africa whose wealth benefits its people and I support the Stop the Bleeding Campaign to end illicit financial flows from Africa and the continent’s exploitation and impoverishment through unjust economic relations. SIGN THE DECLARATION
Objectives: Mobilize 1 million voices – Standing behind demands (Call to action declaration) - Roll out launches in all other regions in Africa - Regional work should lead to dynamic national campaigns - Sectorial launches [ ITUC, FBOs, etc] - Demands to policy makers at Global, Sub-regional, National levels
Conceptual Framework:
Action Plans : 1.Knowledge generation & action resources 2. Mobilize masses and constituencies 3. Policy engagement Coordination & communication: Involving other groups and sharing information
Success So Far
Success So Far - S oft launch ’ – 25 th June 2015, Nairobi - FfD3 Side event aimed at Policy makers and African governments at FfD3 – July , in Addis ( co- hosted with UNECA ) - Galvanized thousands of citizens to sign on to the declaration to stop the bleeding. Next plans: Sub regional launches: SADC/ECOWAS, National Launches: Zimbabwe /Zambia
Conclusions: - Importance of enabling environment for CSOs to engage on policy reforms - Big tent Approach: Widening the scope collaborations between leading institutions and actors. - Domestication of the IFF agenda into national legislation to ensure effective implementation of HLP recommendations - Increase voice of Africa in global reforms through the UN system – Demand for a UN tax body.
THANK YOU ASANTE SANA ALVIN MOSIOMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TAX JUSTICE NETWORK-AFRICA
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